Category: Reblogs

Good for you. Excellent. As John McClane said in Die Hard: “Welcome to the Party, pal.”

Here, then, is a list of quick advice nuggets. You may nibble on these and sample the many tastes. Some of this stuff I’ve said before, some of it is new-ish — whatever helps you, helps you. Whatever doesn’t, just wad it up and throw it into the nearest incinerator. Let’s begin.

I’m reblogging this excellent article about how to write a novel in 30 days because I needed to read it. I’ve successfully completed NaNoWriMo a few times, always writing in the same universe/future about the same characters.

This is a fascinating article on several levels. I was most intrigued by her comments about the Pokemon Go phenomenon, but her observations of the way Twitter has been choked to death by automation, and Facebook is twisted about by ever-shortening cycles of toxic reaction over the next trending outrage also resonate.

I think Pokemon Go is just the beginning of Augmented Reality gaming. Many game franchises can be adapted to the geocaching quest style of play. And businesses are finding ways to get in on the game. Buying lures to attract pokemon (and players) is a huge payback for a dollar or so an hour. Becoming a PokeStop or Gym, even more so.

There is a PokeStop at the pool across the street from my home. I’m pondering how to take advantage of this geographic opportunity!

Having friends who suffer from depression and anxiety, and who struggle to make themselves get out into the world, the mental health benefits of this game are already obvious and immense. I very much look forward to seeing where Augmented Reality games take us in the coming weeks and months. And beyond!

Chris is pursuing an MS degree in Environmental Studies. He’s recently started a blog about Climate Science. This article is a good summary of where he’s headed and what he intends to accomplish as a science blogger. Enjoy!

A Discussion About THE Discussion

So today I wanted to talk about climate change, specifically the discussion behind climate change. Thanks to any number of things (politics mostly) any discussion about climate change always starts the same. Whether it is real or not… whether it is natural or man-made… or whatever ‘us vs. them’ argument of your choice (I’m partial to angry spirits vs. magic myself). Ask the average media personnel and they’ll reference an interview between a scientist and climate change denier. With media coverage framed like this obviously scientists are split down the middle as to whether climate change is a real thing or whether it’s just make believe right?Well….actually no. The debate is not 50-50. Now there are multiple documented sources; that indicate that a vast majority of people and organizations with qualified opinions believe in the components of climate change. Skeptical Science (the third link) were the ones who coined the 97% figure often thrown out. Is that a true and accurate number? Ummm…who knows? The point is a vast majority of qualified people do understand climate change and that’s the important part. So why does this 97 vs. 3 non-issue seem so contentious?

I ran across this blog article by C. S. Wilde in my wanderings today, and found it thought-provoking. I’m still in revision mode with miles to go before I sleep. I can hardly look out far enough to focus on the eventual task of finding beta readers. Once in a while I think ahead to blurbs, book covers, etc., but it’s inscrutable. I brush the thoughts away with an assurance to self: “It surely will all make more sense when I get to that point”

This article and others like it shine a light on the path ahead.

As an indie author, I focus most of my budget on editing. One, because I want to get a FANTASTIC book out there, and two, indies in general have a bad reputation. And that bugs me. Some of us put r…